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OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Named Best Half Marathon in America for Second Year in a Row

December 11, 2019

Runners Award Indy Mini With Top Spot for Half Marathon

INDIANAPOLIS (December 11, 2019)—For the second consecutive year, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been named Best Half Marathon in America in the 2019 edition of the The BibRave 100: A Definitive List of the Best Races in America. The Indy Mini was also recognized in the Top 10 Best Weekend Experience category and the Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K was named one of America’s Top 25 Races, 10 Miles or Less. The 500 Festival was presented with these honors during an awards ceremony held at The Running Event, a conference and retail trade show for the running industry taking place in Austin, Texas.

“The entire OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon team is ecstatic that our half marathon has been named best in the nation for the second consecutive year,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “What makes this accolade even more special is that it is voted on by participants. With so many great half marathons in this country, we are elated that ours stood out as the favorite among runners, walkers, and wheelchair participants. We invite everyone to take on America’s Best Half Marathon on May 2, 2020!”

The BibRave 100 is an annually published list of America’s best races. Rankings are determined based upon runner nominations, surveys from the running industry, and online voting. The Half Marathon category was one of the most competitive in 2019. Voters cited the Indy Mini’s legendary lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where participants can cross and kiss the track’s famous Yard of Bricks, as a highlight. With 44 years of history, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon’s Indy 500 connection is unforgettable, from an IndyCar driver leading off each wave start, to Victory Mile lined with checkered flags and cheering spectators. Indy’s community support and trademark Hoosier Hospitality helped the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon earn a Top 10 spot in the Best Weekend Experience category. 2019 also marks the second consecutive year that the Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K has been recognized as a Top 25 Race, 10 Miles or Less.

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world. Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 100 course entertainment acts. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is the 500 Festival’s largest fundraiser. Race registrations help support the 500 Festival’s free youth programs and events. The 2020 Indy Mini will take place on Saturday, May 2, and registration is available now at IndyMini.com/register.

“All of the races listed on The BibRave 100 are shining examples of how to put on a great event, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the list,” said Tim Murphy, Co-Founder of BibRave. “Runners put a lot of time and research into planning their race calendars, and we hope The BibRave 100 is a helpful tool highlighting some truly wonderful races.”

In addition to its recognition as the Best Half Marathon in America, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been recognized by Runner’s World on their list of Most Iconic Races in America for the fourth straight year. The list, “hones in on some of the longest standing, most beautiful, and overall most popular races in the country.” Additionally, Lonely Planet recently named the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon one of their 15 best running events in the U.S., citing the race’s Indy 500 crazed atmosphere as a top draw. The Indy Mini is more than a half marathon; it’s a weekend-long experience in Indianapolis!

In 2020, OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K participants can expect the same high-level of service throughout their race weekend experience, with some new additions! New for 2020, participants will be able to experience two iconic sporting venues during their race weekend! The 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Expo will be located at field level inside Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. All participants (Indy Mini & 5K) are required to pick up race materials (bib / timing device, participant shirt, gear check bag) at the Expo. In addition to packet pickup and essential race-day resources, the Mini-Marathon Expo is filled with vendors from the health and fitness community, with a mix of local and national brands. The Mini-Marathon Expo will take place Thursday, April 30 from 4:00 pm- 8:00 pm and Friday, May 1, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. It is free and open to the public. The 2020 Indy Mini participant shirt and finisher medal are sure to please as it bridges together history and tradition with progress and innovation. As participants cross the finish line, they will be handed a commemorative medal that pays tribute to the Hulman-George legacy while celebrating their accomplishment.

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is sponsored by OneAmerica, Delta Dental, Franciscan Health and Meijer. The Mini-Marathon will be broadcast to the Indianapolis market on WTHR, Channel 13. To learn more, visit indymini.com or search #IndyMini on social media.

About the 500 Festival

Founded in 1957, the 500 Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500 and foster positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. One of the largest festivals in the nation, each year more than half a million people attend an event or program produced by the 500 Festival. Since its founding, the 500 Festival has contributed more than $500 million in economic value to Indianapolis. To learn more about the 500 Festival, please visit www.500festival.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

About BibRave:

BibRave works with races and brands to help them engage with runners and ultimately drive more sales and registrations. Through their large network of running bloggers (BibRave Pros), their popular Twitter event (#BibChat), The BibRave Podcast (Apple, Android, or Spotify), and creative custom content programs, BibRave helps endurance brands and races go beyond simple advertising and truly connect with more runners. The company’s consumer-facing product is a race review site where runners can learn about a race before signing up, and leave feedback after the event.